This is the new Concept Freedom bath I designed with the team at Ideal Standard . As life goes on, everybody will, at some point, need to make changes to the way they live. Mobility is something that can affect us at any age, whether it be back problems, injuries or generally needing a little extra support.
We had a very satisfying day last week. Anava, our very own Kirstie Allsopp of the housing occupational therapy world, worked her magic for a new client. This client has been searching for 3 long years for a property to suit their needs and with nothing more magic than actually *listening* to the client Anava has found them a property within 3 weeks. It’s now time to find an understanding architect who can listen to the client and create the space around our advice and design, and the client’s needs.
Our MD, Anava Baruch, was interviewed by Sunday Times writer Cally Law who was looking for experts in housing occupational therapy. We were very excited and honoured to be featured in the paper on Sunday for such an important and increasingly relevant issue. Because we specialise in the adaptation of living spaces for the less able, we were able to give Cally an insight into the difficulties families and their ageing relatives can face and how we, as experts in this area, can help with the adaptations and changes that need to made.
We recently visited a client who is making a decision about whether to move from their council property and area they know, to a larger property better suited to their needs. This may seem like an ideal situation but at Design for Independence we always consider the bigger picture. For many clients a move away from the area that they know can be stressful. They are potentially moving from family, neighbours and friends which can cause extreme anxiety.
We make sure we discuss all options with our clients to ensure that no hasty decisions are made, considering their needs, now and in the future.
We were approached by an international architect asking for support with the design of block of flats. Our advice was vital as the flats were intended for clients with Alzheimer’s, a condition that means sufferers find life in ‘normal’ homes extremely challenging. Our recommendations included:
We recommend shower toilets to many of our clients. They are very useful for people who are unable to perform their own personal hygiene tasks due to weakness or absence of upper limbs. They are also great for people who are experiencing difficulty balance whilst seated on the toilet.
Shower toilets are a god send to people who suffer from digestive diseases and as a result suffer from inflammation of the colon, or for people who have had cancer and have had part of their colon removed.
When people are first diagnosed with dementia their symptoms may not seem too severe. However, as dementia progresses suffers can become confused about the location of rooms within their home. The impairment in visual perception that coincides with dementia and Alzheimer’s has an additional impact.
Most people have seen a riser recliner – a chair which helps people get on and off when they are unable to do so independently. These chairs are usually the last resort – people buy them after they have tried and failed to raise the seat of their chair by using cushions or chair raisers (boxes or metal frames which are attached to the legs of the chair to make them higher).
Before choosing a riser recliner there are a number of things you need to consider and some vital information that you need to know.
Designing homes or adapting them for children and adults with Autism should not be taken lightly.
First identified more than 50 years ago, Autism Spectrum Disorder affects one percent of UK children and adults, which equates to approximately 600,000 people. Autism is a life-long developmental condition, characterised by the difficulty to process sensory stimulation, impairment in social interactions and communication skills.
Many of our clients have been involved in catastrophic accidents or clinical negligence. They may suffer from brain injury, spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, cognitive and visual impairments. Some require very extensive care packages to support them in the community. Following the admission of liability, clients are awarded money to ensure their accommodation is suitable for their needs. In many cases, clients need to find a new home for both themselves and their family.
